A Crisis of Stress: The Legal Profession’s Struggle for Peace of Mind – Purpose, Balance, and Self-Awareness

The profession of law is demanding. Our jobs are chronically stressful and involve long hours. A lot rides on our success and behaviour, and this pressure only increases as lawyers rise in their profession in both law firms and in-house legal departments.

During my years as a lawyer – as an associate and as a partner in private practice, and as the leader of legal departments in Canada for two Fortune 500 companies – I have been fortunate to observe senior men and women as equity partners and senior executives. They made a total commitment of time and energy to their law firms and companies (as the case may be) in their careers. In return, they have been richly rewarded with prestige and financial success.

Although the financial rewards of the legal profession are not evenly distributed, and the younger generation of lawyers are not necessarily seeing the benefits of past generations (with many simply trying to grab a rung on the career ladder never mind climb it), I think it is fair to say – across the board and regardless of income – most lawyers work long stressful hours, many “as hard as the ultra-rich ones who are fortunate enough”[1] to rise to the top of their law firm or corporate legal department.

Working hard is a great way to impact the world, to learn, to grow, to feel accomplished, and sometimes even to find happiness, but it can become a problem when lawyers do so at the expense of themselves and the people closest to them. Too many of us find ourselves “spending” so much of our lives on “the treadmill of a work existence”[2] that we don’t have enough energy to sustain both work and home, leading to burnout[3] and health concerns. Much as we know that chronic stress is linked to physical health issues like increased heart disease and mortality (heart attack)[4] – we also need to be aware of how hard-charging lawyer jobs also affect a person’s mental health[5] and mortality (suicide, overdose)[6] as well.[7]

It is a legal profession secret that is finally seeing the light of day: depression, anxiety and addiction to prescription drugs are a real and urgent problem for lawyers. They are three times more likely to suffer severe depression or addiction than the general public.

Overview

Unfortunately, many people work hard and spend money on things that don’t add to their well-being or happiness – and most don’t even know they’re doing it because they’re caught up following the same life script as everyone else. And for lawyers, their “workplace challenges can have a particularly profound impact on wellbeing. Indeed, the professional and interpersonal environment in which lawyers function” – which includes the rise in incivility within the profession[9] – “appears at times to have been tailored to elicit feelings of distress!”[10]

Lawyers experience a higher risk of mental illness and addiction than the general population.[11] One in four lawyers suffer elevated feelings of psychological distress,[12] including depression, anxiety, and burnout.[13] Without something more, today’s lawyers will continue to struggle:[14]

“The law firm culture encourages workaholic behaviors that lead to stress-related illnesses and dependencies, as confirmed by research demonstrating that lawyers suffer from alcoholism and illegal drug use at rates far higher than non-lawyers. Divorce rates among lawyers, especially women, also appear to be higher than divorce rates among other professionals. Although lawyers represent some of the best-paid professionals, they are disproportionately unhappy and unhealthy. The result is a profession full of burnouts and resentment.”[15]

Research increasingly suggests that purpose is important for a meaningful life — but also for a healthy life.

We all have times when we wonder if the job is right, if we are fulfilling our family responsibilities, if we are lonely or satisfied or happy, if this is all there is – and “these questions are especially agonizing” for those professionals “who may be searching for fulfillment while juggling demands at home and intense financial pressures to earn”[17]:[18]

“If you’re in a perpetual state of thinking that you’ll be ‘happier when’ the next good thing happens and you’re not enjoying the journey — then you’re most likely not living the meaning of life. If you’re so focused on getting ‘there’ that you’ve accepted being submerged in stress and anxiety as normal — that’s probably a sign that you’re ‘off purpose.’ When you’re living on purpose, you’ve embraced that the priceless pleasure of life comes from enjoying the journey on your way to a destination deemed meaningful.”

The key is to stop focusing on careers or jobs as an end-goal, but rather focus on a healthy work-life balance and develop an understanding of your purpose. It is a rare thing to develop a balanced life and clarity of purpose early on in life, and for some, ever. It is my experience that most balanced and successful people do not simply fall into a job that aligns with their dreams, passions and family – they grow it.

In achieving professional purpose, most of us have to focus as much on making our work meaningful as in taking meaning from it.[19] In this respect, what is most important and practical for many of us is to focus on cultivating awareness (self-awareness, interpersonal awareness, and awareness of the wider world around you),[20] reflecting and reframing (identify the cause of your discontent, and if necessary, rethink your path),[21] setting and maintaining clear boundaries (career, family and relationships, self, goals and values),[22] and consciously seeking meaning and an understanding of our purpose or purposes.[23]

The most powerful overall determinants of happiness and satisfaction with life are mental health and having a sense of purpose.

Purpose is not necessarily about one single thing,[25] or even a grand audacious world-changing goal, but can also be as simple as finding the right fit for you[26] – such as maintaining or weaving your values in all aspects of your life, being available for your children or friends, or developing trust and respect at work or, for General Counsel and senior in-house counsel, enabling better and ethically driven decision-making by the business.[27] Each of us must determine for ourselves what kind of life we want to live, and what constitutes – for us – a worthwhile purpose.

To build meaning, to find purpose, is to find something that anchors us and – like a compass pointing to true north – provides balance and a fundamental direction forward during times that require each of us to make difficult choices and challenging decisions. Together, purpose and balance supports our efforts to appropriately spend our finite time and energy between our professional commitments (i.e. work) and the other important aspects of our lives, whether that be our family, friends, community, spirituality, personal growth and/or self-care:[28]

“The stories that we generate and tell ourselves can have huge effects on our behaviors and the results that we create. If we can craft a better story about the meaning of our circumstances, then we can change the way we relate to those circumstances. The result? Better emotions and better outcomes. When we believe in the why of our actions, we have greater resilience and stamina when the going gets tough. As Friedrich Nietzsche said, “He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how.” It’s all about the meaning that we assign to our actions.”

So we all have a choice: we can double down on our old approach, on the assumption that we just need to do more to achieve the desired impact. Or we can look to understand our purpose and meaning – one that reflects our worldview, our values, and is uniquely ours – in order to help guide our decisions in alignment with our work, relationships and self. If you succeed in doing the latter, you may well find more work-life balance, contentment and mental peace – and likely find yourself trying new things, moving into deep learning, taking risks, and making surprising contributions in all phases of your life.

Purpose or meaning is not just a lofty ideal, it has practical implications.

Having a purpose is the difference between making a living and making a life.

Introduction

There is an increasing crisis of stress within our modern society, and workplace stress is exacting an ever-higher physical and psychological toll. With today’s technology we have an “always connected” culture that has extended the reach of the office.[30] Work is not only accessible seven days a week 24 hours a day, there is also the perception that our work culture requires us to in fact be accessible.[31]

For the past five years surveys have consistently found that approximately half of global employees are unhappy in their chosen careers or jobs.[32] Last year, more than half of Americans were dissatisfied with their work due to a lack of work-life balance. The Australia Institute found that 24% of workers suffered negative health effects from long hours,[33] Mental Health America reported a 33% rate of workplace absenteeism,[34] and a Canadian report found that stress is the reason one in four Canadians quit their job.[35] One in four Canadian doctors are suffering from burnout, according to a survey of the profession, and exhibit significant rates of depression and suicidal ideation (thoughts).[36] In many cases this was because workers felt overworked and underappreciated, with little control over their own lives or schedules as they juggled workplace stress with the daily pressures of family, friends, and self.

In this vein, according to a BigLaw lawyer in Toronto “many young lawyers dislike their jobs”, to the point that most of her law school friends had “quit law firm life”. Lawyers “feel pressure to spend an increasing amount of their time working, leaving less time for family, friends, and all other activities that contribute to a lawyer’s sense of balance and well-being”.[38] Chronic stress over a long period of time leads to burnout, one of the most common health issues in the workplace.

The legal profession is one of constant challenge, change and uncertainty,[39] and this relentless environment has not changed over the last decade. If we allow it, work can become all-consuming, unhappy and joyless – interfering with or removing all other personal interests or activities.[40] A key finding by the CBA’s Legal Profession Assistance Program survey in 2013 found that “stress / burnout (94%) and anxiety (68%) are the two most prevalent issues facing lawyers” in Canada.[41] A 2016 U.S. study that surveyed over 12,000 lawyers reported that 28% suffered from depression, 19% experienced anxiety, and 20% “screened positive for hazardous, harmful, and potentially alcohol-dependent drinking”.[42] A 2017 study from the University of Toronto[43] – looking at two national surveys of thousands of lawyers in both Canada and the United States[44] – confirmed that lawyers exposed to higher levels of chronic stress, overwork (long hours), and work-life conflict (inadequate time for themselves and their families) were most likely to experience depressive symptoms.[45]

There is no question more people today are diagnosed with mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.[46] In this respect the literature is clear that prolonged chronic stress can lead to physical health consequences and negatively impact mental health,[47] in particular:[48]

“Overwork, generally defined as consistently working more than 40 hours a week, leads to chronic stress and anxiety, substance abuse, sleep disorders, a weakened immune system, depression, weight gain, hypertension, heart disease, chronic fatigue and diabetes. Also — a consequence not to be overlooked — working too hard can kill you.”

Research suggests that [lawyers] are at much higher risk of depression, anxiety and substance abuse issues than people in the broader population — and may even be more susceptible than those in other high-stress professions, such as medicine.

The pressure of our demanding legal culture is creating serious limits on the personal lives (and health) of many of our lawyers as work takes over. The workload is heavy, the hours are long, and the pressure is enormous, such that for many professional burnout is the response. While attempts to reduce or prevent burnout primarily fall to individuals, research has established that job and organizational factors that are largely outside of an individual employee’s control contribute to burnout at least as much as personal factors.[50]

Burnout is caused by a “mismatch” between the employee and the workplace in one or more of six domains: workload, control, reward, community, fairness, and values.[51] For lawyers it generally relates to overwork (workload) and work-life conflict (control).[52] Why? Because the legal culture – in particular law firm culture – encourages workaholic behaviors,[53] and not surprisingly, law firms “are filled, top to bottom, with workaholics”.[54] Although most lawyers will say they “have no choice”, this institutional workaholic culture is harmful, particularly for lawyers exposed to higher levels of stress[55] and incivility.[56] As a result, lawyers appear to be self-medicating, using lots of substances (alcohol, cocaine, opioids, etc) to prop themselves up in our incredibly punishing profession.[57] The number one substance abuse problem is alcohol[58] (21% of lawyers qualify as problem drinkers)[59] and number two is prescription drugs.[60] Lawyers and judges have twice the addiction rate when it comes to opioid abuse than the general population.[61]

While the ABA report [The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change] states that the legal profession has known for decades about its issues with addiction and depression, it also claims there is some evidence that well-being problems facing the profession are worse today than in the past. One reason, according to the report, may be a rise in incivility.

The profession – in return for “success” – demands a work environment of long hours, chronic stress, and work-life conflict. And, to be successful in this toxic environment, lawyers are expected to be highly present, have clear and consistent insights, maintain significant levels of energy, and stay grounded regardless of circumstances and a culture that appears to brook little room for error. Without meaningful balance and purpose – particularly during this time of disruption in the legal profession – an institutional environment that requires this level of ‘commitment’ (and perceived perfection)[63] means burnout is a real, major concern for lawyers.

Money and success “get all the ink” but living with balance and purpose may well be “the truest and straightest line to” mental and physical health and peace of mind.[64]

Although it might seem strange to the senior lawyer approaching retirement, for today’s generation of lawyers the promise of money, prestige, and success down the road (while obviously attractive on its face), when looked at to the exclusion of all else is no longer the incentive it once was. Especially as we learn that lawyers working in high stress environments – even when well compensated – tend to experience more depressive symptoms. That is, the more “successful” the lawyer, the more likely he or she is to experience mental health problems.[65] As noted by Susan Smith Blakely in her book What Millennial Lawyers Want (2018), today’s generation of lawyers entering the legal profession view the world differently than the old guard, and they have different expectations around ‘purpose and meaning’ and ‘work-life balance’:[66]

“Millennial lawyers possess values that we have not seen in the workplace in recent history. According to a study about and by millennial lawyers, those values include a desire for inclusion and an aversion to isolation. … They want client contact and professional development training, and they want purpose and meaning in their work. … They care less about money and power than prior generations, and they prefer healthy law firm cultures and work-life balance. …

And they reject the toxic cultures of many, especially large, law firms. They want something different than the extreme competition, backstabbing, and obsession with money and power that lead to greed, and they do not want to replicate the unbalanced and unhealthy life styles of many of the lawyers they have seen and heard.

Many millennial lawyers were raised by parents whose failed marriages, alcohol and substance addictions, and severe health problems are traceable to the stresses of law practice. Unreasonably high billable hour and client development demands, fierce competition and lack of congeniality took a toll on too many.

The recent announcement by the ABA of an initiative to address substance abuse and mental health problems in our profession came as no surprise to millennial lawyers. They knew it before the ABA did. They lived it. …

If it is a contest between money and power and greed versus healthy life styles, work-life balance, professional and empathetic behavior, and respect for colleagues, it is no contest.”

Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.

It may be that thinking about or talking about the importance of having both balance and purpose in our lives may help us in being a really great lawyer today. However, this is actually a lot harder than it sounds because the first and most important thing you need to do is figure out what is truly important to you and what makes you content, or satisfied, or happy.[68] When a person is focused on the stressful day-to-day execution of his or her job it can be easy to have tunnel vision and lose sight of the bigger picture. Finding purpose or meaning begins with really examining your own core values and beliefs. It’s all about the meaning that we assign to our actions.[69] Once a person is able to determine their purpose (or purposes),[70] it can have an enormous effect on our behaviours and the results we create – and it becomes easier to adopt a work-life balance that weaves the different areas of our life together, generally balancing our days in alignment with that purpose:[71]

“When you feel on purpose, it radiates out through your feelings (heart), thoughts (head), and actions (hands). Just as when a baseball connects with a ball, every time you make a choice how to be or behave, either you feel a ‘meh’—this is off purpose—or you feel a ‘schweet!’ If you can feel that sweet spot, you are on purpose. You can find your sweet spot no matter what curve balls come at you. …

What did you do when were you on purpose? What about when you were off purpose? No matter what your actual career or trade, whether you are unemployed or a hotshot executive, stay-at-home parent or a traveler, your life purpose will help you create meaning out of every moment. …

Anything at all can become fundamentally meaningful and purposeful if you choose it to be.”

How well does your job/employer align with your values and interests? When you experience a sense of fit between your values and interests and the values and needs of your organization, you are more likely to find meaning and purpose in your work. When fit is bad, on the other hand, you probably won’t receive the support you need to perform well. … Burnout can take a serious toll on your health, performance, career prospects, psychological well-being, and relationships.

Some people hear the word ‘purpose’ and think ‘grand calling’, but it does not have to be and likely isn’t (and that’s ok). Purpose for most of us is simply finding the right fit for us – finding purpose in being a good parent to your children for example, or maintaining your values in all aspects of your life, or being there for your important relationships, or creating more trust and community within your work team. What we are talking about is a different mindset and set of actions that may reduce the anxiety, amplify curiosity, and boost the chances of living and working with purpose.[73] What most lawyers are looking for is balance and purpose, and understanding one’s purpose will likely aid you in the decisions you make and how to allocate your finite time with your work, financial resources, relationships (family and friends), health, personal growth, and spiritual:[74]

“Knowing that time is a finite resource is a freeing mindset … . It allows [you] to put value on every second of [your] time. Sure [you will] still [spend] a lot of that finite resource with [work and] things like lounging around watching sports or spats with loved ones and so on. But the ability to understand you’ll never get that time back creates a great framework to make decisions on in all aspects of life.”

Meaningful work-life balance and purpose are important aspects of a healthy life (and work environment), helping to reduce stress and prevent burnout in the workplace.[75] Not surprisingly, the 2017 World Happiness Report reported that work-life balance is now one of the strongest predictors of happiness.[76]

Striking that perfect balance will always be a challenge in a profession that is inherently stressful, and outlooks and approaches will continue to evolve with cultural, generational and economic changes. However, the goal is the same – greater control over their lives in respect to autonomy, flexibility, purpose, and happiness. In other words, living with purpose.

A new study by a team of Harvard School of Public Health researchers finds that if you feel you have a higher sense of purpose in life — defined as having meaning, a sense of direction and goals — you are more likely to remain healthy and physically strong as you grow older.

Is there a healthy way forward: Purpose and Balance

Stress is a fact of life. In small doses, stress motivates performance, helping individuals to stay focused, energetic and alert. A component of stress is “worry”. This is a normal and adaptive system in the body that tells us when we are in danger. This means that dealing with “worry” does not involve eliminating it, but rather appropriately managing it.[78]

Feeling content (or happy) and perceiving one’s life as meaningful and in balance are important and is deeply interconnected to well-being and peace of mind.[79] Having balance and a purpose in life is not one thing, and may well include aspects related to one’s social identity (like work or family), or the pursuit of self-realization (such as hobbies or travel, activities that are seen as ends in themselves).[80]

Here is the thing: you can’t order meaning. There’s no next day delivery. It doesn’t come with napkins. It’s not one click away and is most certainly not to be found on your smartphone.

Determining and Connecting: Meaning and Purpose

You may hear the word ‘purpose’ or ‘meaning’ and think ‘grand calling’ (i.e. save the world), but it does not have to be and likely isn’t (and that’s ok).[82] Many people look to their careers for a source of meaning, given the high amounts of time most people spend at work. However, while work is an important contributor to a meaningful life (providing structure and coherence, as well as enabling the pursuit of important goals),[83] meaning also includes finding the right fit across the full spectrum of your life – finding purpose in being a good parent to your children for example, or maintaining your values in all aspects of your life, or being there for your important relationships, or creating more trust and community within your work team, etc. What we are talking about is a different mindset and set of actions that may reduce the anxiety, amplify curiosity, and boost the chances of living and working with purpose.[84]

The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.

What most lawyers are looking for is balance and purpose, and understanding one’s purpose will likely aid you in the decisions you make and how to allocate your finite time with your work, financial resources, relationships (family and friends), health, personal growth, and spiritual:[86]

“Knowing that time is a finite resource is a freeing mindset … . It allows [you] to put value on every second of [your] time. Sure [you will] still [spend] a lot of that finite resource with [work and] things like lounging around watching sports or spats with loved ones and so on. But the ability to understand you’ll never get that time back creates a great framework to make decisions on in all aspects of life.”

You can think about your purpose as the intersection between what you love to do or are most interested in (passion), what you are naturally good at (skills and talents) and what you want to leave behind (impact or legacy).[87] Thinking about these three points – asking yourself these three questions – will start to give you a sense of direction and clarity. They will help you focus on what’s most important and put you on the right track to taking the next step. Having purpose is not a fixed trait (i.e. you either have it or you do not), but rather a modifiable state: Purpose can be honed through strategies that help us engage in meaningful activities and behaviors.[88]

Everyone needs to have a sense of purpose in their life and at work, and to know how their contribution makes a difference, that matters. Something meaningful to you. People who understand their path – what they are working towards – feel a greater sense of purpose and that’s a powerful driver.[89] By this I mean that a sense of purpose – an understanding of what makes a person feel significant and meaningful – is a key to thriving. People who have a strong sense of purpose appear to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives:[90]

“[P]eople with a strong sense of purpose may be more forward-thinking and more optimistic. This relation may be reciprocal, as optimistic people may be more likely to adapt their sense of purpose to adjust to stressful situations.”

My favorite medical diagnosis is ‘failure to thrive.’ Not because patients are failing to thrive — that part makes me sad. But because of the diagnosis’s bold proposition: Humans, in their natural state, are meant to thrive.

– Dr. Dhruv Khullarm, Finding Purpose for a Good Life, New York Times[91]

In this respect, for example, social connections and spirituality are strong predictors of well-being generally and they play an important role in the experience of one’s life as meaningful. Similarly, work can be a context in which individuals have an opportunity to matter and to obtain feedback on their own indispensability. Work can allow us to provide for our loved ones, to extend the self through professional identity, and to build a legacy for the future. Both can be important sources of and contributors to purpose and meaning in life, and work – like parenting – can also be a meaningful way to contribute to the world in a larger sense. However, regardless of whether work provides purpose or meaning (for any particular person), work inevitably involves a variety of situations that either hinder or foster meaning in life[92]:[93]

“If going into work feels like slogging through mud, you may be making your job (and your life) harder than it needs to be.

When you’re struggling with your career, everything in life can feel out of whack, and your feelings can snowball until you really hate work. Such a situation can lead to burnout, weak job performance, and eventually, getting fired or needing to quit. …

When you spend time away from your work, you come back to it refreshed and with new perspectives. Keep a barrier between your ‘off’ self and your work self, and get some balance in your life. … Bring a better you to your job.”

Success, just like happiness and other intangible goals, is entirely self-defined.

Harmonizing purpose with all areas of one’s life has a positive, transformational effect on men and women. Knowing why you’re doing something helps you stay focused and make better decisions. However, when one area of a person’s life (i.e. work, financial resources, relationships, health, personal growth, spiritual) becomes unbalanced or unmoored from their purpose for an extended period of time, bad things happen. Life does not come with a set of directions, it’s about figuring things out:[95]

“Figure out what you want to do with your life and career. … Carefully consider and evaluate what you’re doing…. Expend your time and energy wisely on meaningful endeavors. … align[ed] with your vision for yourself and your principles. Don’t do things for the sake of doing them. Shut off your autopilot and take the steering wheel. Do the things you love because life is too precious to spend it doing anything else. …

Constantly review and evaluate your life to make sure you are on the correct path. Set aside time for … introspection and review sessions to assess how your pursuit of goals is going. Review your purpose and principles. It is okay if they change as you grow personally and professionally and mature in age.”

Having said that, most of us don’t have the luxury of working solely for fun. We may (or may not) enjoy our jobs, but we also work to earn money and pay bills.[96] Lawyers today practice in a marketplace where a law degree, call to the Bar (licensure),[97] and ‘knowing the law’ – without more – will not get them very far.[98] This is particularly true for junior and entry level lawyers who are well aware of the impact of technology and the waning legal market. Once insulated, law has become one of the most competitive markets in the new normal, and is being significantly impacted by a combination of alternative legal service providers, the expanding reach of technology, globalization, and the changing behaviour of the retail and corporate consumer of legal services.[99]

It remains to be seen precisely how the legal profession will look in the years that lie ahead. However, whatever the future may bring, lawyers cannot afford to be complacent. Life is not just theory and ‘passion’, and in the real world the profession of law is more challenging today than ever before. Between demanding clients and an unpredictable economy, lawyers like many other professions are being forced to the edge of uncertainty. As such, all aspects of our life will likely require some form of compromise, and work will always be an important element of what lawyers must take into consideration – even if only seen as a means to helping others, including our families and communities – in building a well-rounded life.

Purpose is something we must consciously pursue and create – it is built not found.[100] But what that will look like will ultimately be up to each of us. Certainly some people’s life circumstances may more naturally lend themselves to a sense of meaning, but most of us require at least some deliberate effort to understand and build that purpose (or purposes) – which may naturally change over time – and invest and balance our lives with the meaning we seek[101]:[102]

“Finding purpose is rarely an epiphany, nor is it something you pick up at the mall or download from the app store. It can be a long, arduous process that requires introspection and conversation, then a commitment to act. The key to a deeper, healthier life, it seems, isn’t knowing the meaning of life — it’s building meaning into your life. Even if meaning is a four-legged friend named Sadie.”

Know that it will take time. As noted by leadership expert and acclaimed author Maxie McCoy: “Everyone wants an immediate solution to feeling lost. But core to the process is sitting in your shit and getting curious. These wildly uncomfortable moments can wake us up to what’s really going on. Most of the answers to where we’re going are in the stories of where we’ve already been.”[103]

Particularly in this new world of work in which the half-life of a skill is three to five years, purpose is the common thread that guides individuals to the roles and companies that are the best fit and where they can have the most meaningful impact.

– The importance of purpose in this new world of work, Globe and Mail[104]

Work-Life Balance

Your personal life and your work life should be able to coexist with each other, and an appropriate work-life balance would indeed enable most of us to pay attention to all of the important and healthy aspects of our lives.

In addition to institutional and societal pressures and norms that contribute to work-life conflict, we are also born into a world where we are told that “time is money”, and for many professionals there is a personal, professional and monetary drive to achieve. But taking this path may lead to an infinite appetite for financial rewards, and is incompatible with the reality that our lives only have a finite amount of time. In this environment and with this type of worldview, it is not surprising that work-life balance is so challenging, and when we spend the majority of our days on stressful work-related activities – and neglect the other important components of our lives – stress, anxiety, and unhappiness are the result. The key is to find a balance between doing ones job (even one you may love and identify with) and, among other things, self-care and being with the people you love. Otherwise you may well look back one day and wish you had sought more balance, and focused a little bit more on those areas of your life outside of work.[105]

Work-life balance is a concept that supports the efforts of employees to split their time and energy between work and the other important aspects of their lives. Work-life balance is a daily effort to make time for family, friends, community participation, spirituality, personal growth, self-care, and other personal activities, in addition to the demands of the workplace.

Successful professionals have a strong sense of control and have learned to set boundaries: “how else could they manage a full load of career, family, self-care, and other goals and responsibilities? Successful professionals are open minded, but also stay aware of what they can handle, know their limits, push back strategically, and focus on their long-term goals and values”. [107] Setting goals requires addressing (at least) four aspects of your life: career or vocation, family and relationships, community, and mind-body-spirit. And for each you need to address the different time frames for achieving your goals: short-term or immediate; medium-term (within the next year); and long-term (one to five years).[108]

This type of self-reflection requires the identification of specific matters or opportunities that are – and that are not – right for each of us. In this respect, we need to learn to mindfully develop our path, learning to accept those opportunities that are right for us, and appropriately declining those opportunities that are not.[109]

You don’t become happy by pursuing happiness. You become happy by living a life that means something.

While some degree of pessimism may be helpful to evaluate all outcomes and think strategically, optimism helps successful professionals with balance, to cope with stress, and become more resilient. Successful professionals recommend “integrating mindfulness into your daily routine, whether through meditation or simply writing down five things you are grateful for”. The World Economic Forum suggests silent meditation (referred to as Vipassana, meaning “to see things as they really are”).[111] Kevin Loria, in an inspired article reprinted numerous times, in respect to a balanced life recommends nine behaviours – backed by science – that promote well-being, contentment, and peace of mind:[112]

Relationships are essential: A major study that followed hundreds of people for more than 70 years found the happiest (and healthiest) were those who cultivated strong relationships with people they trusted to support them.[113]

Time beats money: A number of studies have found happier people would prefer to have more time in their lives than more money, and even trying to think that way seems to make people more content.[114]

But it helps to have enough money to pay the bills without stress: In respect to annual financial compensation, studies have found that people’s well-being or happiness only rises with income up to about $75,000. (That number varies depending on a particular jurisdiction’s cost of living.)[115] This is based on two phenomena: the “hedonic treadmill” or “hedonic adaptation” principle (i.e. we adapt to both ‘the good’ and ‘the bad’ after a certain base point; feelings associated with external pleasures quickly wear off and we are back where we began),[116] and “negativity bias” (i.e. our brain’s tendency to preferentially scan for, remember and react to negative experiences as opposed to the neutral or positive ones).[117]

Stop to smell the roses: People who slow down to reflect on good things in their lives report being more satisfied.[118]

Perform acts of kindness: Give your friends a ride to the airport or spend an afternoon volunteering. Some research has shown that people who perform such acts report being happier.[119]

Regularly break a sweat: Exercise tends to help fight off mental illness. And studies show that happiness is associated with physical activity; increased levels of activity are even connected to higher levels of happiness.[120]

Buy experiences over things: People tend to be happier if they spend their money on experiences instead of things. But researchers have also found that buying things that allow you to have experiences — like a tennis racket or a book — can also increase happiness.[121]

Learn to be present in the moment: Several studies have found that people who practice mindfulness meditation experience greater well-being.[122]

Spend time with friends, especially close friends who are happy: Interactions with casual friends can make people happier, and close friendships — especially with happy people — can have a powerful effect on your own happiness as well.[123]

There are a number of basic practices that can increase our overall wellbeing by countering “hedonic adaptation” and “negativity bias”. One of the most effective tools is “savoring” the things we enjoy. This process begins by making a conscious effort to look for the positive aspects of an experience and then taking a moment to internalize them, enjoying the subtle positive emotions that arise. Savoring not only lowers stress levels, it also reduces hedonic adaptation and negativity bias. Along the same lines, fostering “gratitude” can boost our contentment (happiness). A gratitude journal – or simply considering what you are grateful each day – is a simple way to build this practice into your daily rhythm. Practiced regularly, this type of habit can increase both physical and mental health by fostering a shift in mindset:[124]

“Research has shown that subtle interventions like savoring and gratitude actually have a greater impact on our wellbeing than do circumstances like success, illness or income. While we may not always be able to control the stressors in our life, it is refreshing to know that by forming habits like these we can control our experience of them.”

Swapping time for money is a game you’ll eventually lose because there is finite time and infinite money. What premium do you place on your precious time? How much longer will you, can you, swap your time for money?

Conclusion

Having a sense of purpose and meaning in your life is essential to well-being, contentment and peace of mind – it is an important element toward a more fulfilling future, helping you to identify and – in conjunction with work-life balance – get the most of life and work. Purpose and balance helps to both determine and achieve what matters most to you, to prioritize your life and allow you to focus on short and long-term goals.

Always remember your focus determines your reality.

– George Lucas

Balance and purpose is about creating and maintaining supportive and healthy work-life environments. It is about meaning in every aspect of our life and appropriately balancing our priorities in an ever increasing pressure cooker of modern society and the rigours of our 21st century legal profession.

It is important to take steps to ensure work does not become all consuming, to ensure all aspects of our lives – to the extent possible on any particular day, week or month – are lived to the fullest. For myself, I know I have much to be grateful for: a wonderful family; friends who support and challenge me; colleagues who ask difficult questions and raise my game. However, like many others, to be in the moment, to be able to laugh, smile, and be content (especially when stressed) is a challenge at times, but it is one that is worth the effort.[126]

Millennial lawyers … want purpose and meaning in their work. … they care less about money and power than prior generations, and they prefer healthy law firm cultures and work-life balance. … If it is a contest between money and power and greed versus healthy life styles, work-life balance, professional and empathetic behavior, and respect for colleagues, it is no contest.

Trying to be all things to all people, and aiming for perfection, is a slippery slope that over time can only contribute to anxiety and physical and mental health issues. Millennial (and to some extent Generation X) lawyers possess values that we have not seen in the workplace in recent history. They want purpose and meaning in their work and life, and they prefer healthy law firm cultures and work-life balance. There appears to be a consensus that Millennials are pushing a little harder for work-life balance because they have seen the consequences of the legal culture for more senior lawyers.[128]

When asked for his definition of success, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett – the Oracle of Omaha – said: “If you get to my age in life and nobody thinks well of you, I don’t care how big your bank account is, your life is a disaster”. That is the ultimate test of how you have lived your life.[129]

I’m beginning to understand myself. But it would have been great to be able to understand myself when I was 20 rather than when I was 82.

David Brubeck (1920-2012)

In the game of life, are you playing a finite or infinite game? Are you on the path to a life well-lived? If you treated today as your last day – that you may not be here tomorrow – what would you be doing right now? Time is ticking: “Go do that”.[130]

Eric Sigurdson

Endnotes:

[1] Jordan Furlong, After the Millionaires, Law21.ca, October 10, 2018.

[2] Susie Steiner, Top five regrets of the dying, The Guardian, February 1, 2012; Susie Steiner, The 5 Things People Regret Most on their Deathbed, Business Insider, December 5, 2013. Also see, Bronnie Ware, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing, Hay House Inc. (publisher), 2012.

[3]CMA National Physician Health Survey: A National Snapshot, Canadian Medical Association, October 2018 (“Burnout: High emotional exhaustion, High depersonalization”); Monique Valcour, When Burnout is a Sign you Should Leave Your Job, Harvard Business Review, January 25, 2018 (When the conditions and demands you encounter at work — like workload, level of autonomy, and norms of interpersonal behavior — exceed your capacity to handle them, you’re at risk of burning out. Burnout has three components: exhaustion (lost energy), cynicism (lost enthusiasm), and inefficacy (lost self-confidence and capacity to perform); Sarah Kathleen Peck, 8 Ways to increase your Mental Resilience and avoid Burnout, Forbes, August 15, 2018 (“While not in the diagnostic manual used by psychiatrists, it is now used as an everyday term to explain the fatigue, stress, anxiety, and psychological stress people feel when they are overworked, have difficulty focusing, or feel a loss in motivation.”); Depression: What is burnout?, PubMed Health, January 12, 2017:

“The term “burnout” was coined in the 1970s by the American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger. … Surprisingly, there is no clear definition of what burnout really is. … Burnout is considered to have a wide range of symptoms. There is no general agreement about which of those are part of burnout and which are not. But all definitions given so far share the idea that the symptoms are thought to be caused by work-related or other kinds of stress. … There are three main areas of symptoms that are considered to be signs of burnout:

Exhaustion: People affected feel drained and emotionally exhausted, unable to cope, tired and down, and do not have enough energy. Physical symptoms include things like pain and stomach or bowel

Alienation from (work-related) activities: People who have burnout find their jobs increasingly stressful and frustrating. They may start being cynical about their working conditions and their colleagues. At the same time, they may increasingly distance themselves emotionally, and start feeling numb about their work.

Reduced performance: Burnout mainly affects everyday tasks at work, at home or when caring for family members. People with burnout are very negative about their tasks, find it hard to concentrate, are listless and lack creativity.

[4] Elizabeth Raymer, GC Stephen Sigurdson is remembered as ‘a wonderful guy’, Canadian Lawyer, November 24, 2016: “Members of Ontario’s legal community have been grieving the loss of Stephen Sigurdson,Manulife general counsel … died last Wednesday in Toronto following a cardiac arrest in October, he was 56”. Also see, Elie Mystal, In Re The Passing of a Skadden Associate, Above the Law, June 30, 2011 (“corporate associate, Lisa Johnston, died … apparent heart attack … she was 32 … pulling 100-hour weeks and was under intense pressure”); Sue Palmer, Lawyer Survives Severe Heart Attack after mistaking symptoms for 24 hour flu bug, Independent.co.uk, March 13, 2017 (also reported in Washington Post, March 7, 2016); Proskauer Rose General Counsel Dies of Heart Attack, Law.com, June 24, 2010 (“Steven C. Krane, the general counsel of Proskauer Rose and a former New York State Bar president … died Tuesday of a heart attack at age 53”); HT Correspondent, Lawyer suffers heart attack while arguing case at Punjab & Haryana high court, dies, Hindustan Times, May 4, 2017; Ana Ley, Lawyer died of heart attack, My San Antonio.com, October 10, 2012 (“lawyer Barbara Huges died of a heart attack at her downtown office … 51 … just finished a meeting”).

[7] Melissa Healy, For those in posh jobs, depression may be harder to treat, September 21, 2016 (“People with highly demanding jobs are subject to a lot of stress, and when they break down with depression, it may be particularly difficult to cope with demands they were previously managing to satisfy”); Jan Bruce, What You Didn’t Know: Leaders Are More Stressed Than Everyone Else, Forbes, December 9, 2016:

“It makes sense: Our jobs are stressful and involve long hours, and chronic stress has been linked to depression. A lot rides on our success and behavior. Plus, while lower-level employees might benefit from a workplace culture that embraces well-being and de-stigmatizes mental health issues, those of us who lead are actually responsible for creating that culture. When you’re mired in depression, it’s hard to have that perspective” – and, “according to new research, depression is also harder to shake when you’re at the top”.

[12] C. Stuart Mauney, The Lawyers’ Epidemic: Depression, Suicide and Substance Abuse, January 2012. Also see: Patrick Krill, Ryan Johnson, and Linda Albert, The Prevalence of Substance Use and Other Mental Health Concerns Among American Attorneys, 10 Journal of Addiction Medicine 46, February 2016; ABA, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation release first National Study on Attorney Substance Use, Mental Health Concerns, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, February 3, 2016; Will McDowell (Chair), Mental Health Strategy Task Force: Final Report to Convocation, Law Society of Upper Canada, April 28, 2016; Bree Buchanan and James Coyle (Task Force Chairs), National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being: Creating a Movement to Improve Well-Being in the Legal Profession, American Bar Association, August 14, 2017; American Bar Association, The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change, The Report of the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, August 2017. Also see, Laura Helm, Mental Health and the Legal Profession: A Preventative Strategy – Final Report, Law Institute of Victoria (Australia), September 11, 2014.

[13]Lawyers and Stress, CBA National Magazine, June 2013. Also see: Patrick Krill, Ryan Johnson, and Linda Albert, The Prevalence of Substance Use and Other Mental Health Concerns Among American Attorneys, 10 Journal of Addiction Medicine 46, February 2016; ABA, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation release first National Study on Attorney Substance Use, Mental Health Concerns, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, February 3, 2016; Will McDowell (Chair), Mental Health Strategy Task Force: Final Report to Convocation, Law Society of Upper Canada, April 28, 2016; Bree Buchanan and James Coyle (Task Force Chairs), National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being: Creating a Movement to Improve Well-Being in the Legal Profession, American Bar Association, August 14, 2017; American Bar Association, The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change, The Report of the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, August 2017. Also see, Laura Helm, Mental Health and the Legal Profession: A Preventative Strategy – Final Report, Law Institute of Victoria (Australia), September 11, 2014 (“almost a third of solicitors and one in five barristers surveyed suffered from clinical depression.”).

[18] Jacob Sokol, What is the Purpose of Life? 7 Signs You’re Not Living It, Sensophy.com.

[19] John Coleman, You Don’t Find Your Purpose – You Build It, Harvard Business Review, October 20, 2017; John Coleman, To Find Meaning in Your Work, Change How You Think About It, Harvard Business Review, December 29, 2017;

[23] Thomas Oppong, Your Life Will be Incredibly Better If You Pursue Meaning Instead of Happiness, Thrive Global, January 16, 2018; Emily Esfahani Smith, The Power of Meaning: finding fulfillment in a world obsessed with happiness, Broadway Books, 2017; Tom Rath, Are You Fully Charged? The 3 keys to energizing your work and life, Silicon Guild, 2015; John Coleman, You Don’t Find Your Purpose – You Build It, Harvard Business Review, October 20, 2017.

[26] Jeffrey Davis, How to Seek Purpose with Less Anxiety, Psychology Today, December 19, 2017; Steve Errey, 4 Ways to Find Purpose in Any Job, Forbes, April 1, 2014 (also published in The Muse.com); Nick Seneca Jankel, Finding Your Life Purpose: 10 Deep Questions to Help You Create a Wildly Fulfilling and Meaningful Life, Conscious Lifestyle Magazine, 2015; Sarah Ward and Laura King, Work and the good life: How work contributes to meaning in life, Research in Organizational Behaviour, Vol. 37, 2017; Iza Kavedzija, The Japenese concept of ikigai: why purpose might be a better goal than happiness, The Conversation, December 14, 2017.

[27] Ciarán Fenton, GC role and purpose: a revolution, not evolution, is needed by business and society, Modern Legal Practice, Globe Law and Business, October 2018.

[28] Dan Cable, The Most Powerful Lesson My Cancer Taught Me About Life and Work, Harvard Business Review, October 8, 2018. Also see, Timothy Wilson, Redirect: Changing the Stories We Live By, Little Brown, 2011.

[29] Celestine Chua, 5 Reasons You Should Have a Life Purpose, Personal Excellence.co,

[30] Richard Carlton-Crabtree, World Mental Health Day: The Modern Struggle for Peace of Mind, Independent.co.uk, October 10, 2017; Claire Cain Miller, Stressed, Tired, Rushed: A Portrait of the Modern Family, New York Times, November 4, 2015; Heather Menzies, No Time: Stress and the Crisis of Modern Life, Douglas & McIntyre Ltd., 2011; Laurence Bradford, Battling Anxiety, Depression and Tech Addiction in the Workplace, Forbes, October 21, 2018.

[31] See for example: Mark Abadi, 6 American work habits other countries avoid at all costs, Business insider, November 17, 2017 – (1) “work crazy long hours”; (2) “hardly ever go on vacation”; (3) “barely take any family leave”; (4) “tend to eat at their desk”; (5) “seldom take breaks during the day”; (6) “send emails after work hours”. Also see, Laurence Bradford, Battling Anxiety, Depression and Tech Addiction in the Workplace, Forbes, October 21, 2018.

[35] Dani-Ellen Dube, Stress is the reason 1 in 4 Canadians quit their job, Global News, August 16, 2017. Also see generally re Canada: Canadian Mental Health Association, Over half of Canadians consider anxiety and depression ‘epidemic’, Newswire.ca, September 17, 2018; Hilary Hagerman, Nearly half of Canadians suffer from anxiety – and many believe there’s no cure, Yahoo.com, October 8, 2018; Andre Picard, How many people actually suffer from mental illness?, Globe and Mail, May 22, 2018.

[36]CMA National Physician Health Survey: A National Snapshot, Canadian Medical Association, October 2018; Theresa Boyle, Canadian doctors are suffering from burnout at an ‘alarming’ rate, survey finds, Toronto Star, October 10, 2018; Sheryl Ubelacker, Rates of burnout, depression reported by doctors, residents concerning: report, Globe and Mail, October 10, 2018.

[37] Richard Carlton-Crabtree, World Mental Health Day: The Modern Struggle for Peace of Mind, Independent.co.uk, October 10, 2017.

[38] Allison Speigel, Why so many young lawyers dislike their jobs, The Globe and Mail, June 8, 2016. Also see, Dani-Ellen Dube, Stress is the reason 1 in 4 Canadians quit their job, Global News, August 16, 2017.

[43]Jonathan Koltai, Scott Schieman,and Ronit Dinovitzer, The Status-Health Paradox: Organizational Context, Stress Exposure, and Well-being in the Legal Profession, March 2017 [article accepted for publication in the Journal of Health of Social Behaviour].

[45] Aidan Macnab, High-pressure law jobs linked to depression, Canadian Lawyer, October 26, 2017; Michelle McQuigge, Lawyers more likely to experience mental health problems the more successful they are: study, Globe and Mail (The Canadian Press), October 22, 2017; Eric Sigurdson, The Legal Culture: Chronic Stress, Mental Illness and Addiction – Law Firms, Legal Departments, and Eight Organizational Strategies to reduce Burnout and promote Engagement, Sigurdson Post, November 19, 2017; Jonathan Koltai, Scott Schieman,and Ronit Dinovitzer, The Status-Health Paradox: Organizational Context, Stress Exposure, and Well-being in the Legal Profession, March 2017 [article accepted for publication in the Journal of Health of Social Behaviour].

[46] Andre Picard, How many people actually suffer from mental illness?, Globe and Mail, May 22, 2018; See generally, Geraldine Walsh, Mental health and the workplace: ‘I was told to cheer up and not be so negative’, The Irish Times, October 19, 2018.

[52] Jonathan Koltai, Scott Schieman,and Ronit Dinovitzer, The Status-Health Paradox: Organizational Context, Stress Exposure, and Well-being in the Legal Profession, March 2017 [article accepted for publication in the Journal of Health of Social Behaviour].

[53] Susan Smith Blakely, New Approaches to the Practice of Law, JD.org, July 1, 2016; Susan Smith Blakely, Is Work-Life Balance a Hopeless Goal in the Legal Profession?, Law.com, June 22, 2016. Also see, Sarah Green Carmichael, The Research is Clear: Long Hours Backfire for People and for Companies, Harvard Business Review, August 19, 2015.

[61] Renwei Chung, In A Punishing Profession, Too Many Lawyers Are Paying The Ultimate Price, Above the Law, July 21, 2017; Mental Illness and lawyers: Moving from stigma to solutions, LawPro (practicepro.ca), September 1, 2013 (“Mental illnesses require treatment, yet some people attempt to alleviate their symptoms through self-medication with alcohol or prescription and non-prescription drugs. This may temporarily provide relief, but it ultimately compounds the problem.”); Will McDowell (Chair), Mental Health Strategy Task Force: Final Report to Convocation, Law Society of Upper Canada, April 28, 2016.

[62] Roy Strom, ABA Report Promotes Changes to Treat Addiction, Depression, Law.com, August 14, 2017. Also see, Bree Buchanan and James Coyle (Task Force Chairs), National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being: Creating a Movement to Improve Well-Being in the Legal Profession, American Bar Association, August 14, 2017; American Bar Association, The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change, The Report of the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, August 2017.

[63] Gwendoline Smith, Perfectionism – and that’s a problem how?, New Zealand Law Society, August 29, 2014; Nicole Ireland, The impact on society is enormous: In legal profession, depression, addiction hurt clients, too, CBC, November 26, 2016 (“…the profession ‘essentially demands [them] to be perfect,’ and they feel enormous pressure to put up a front of confidence and competence for their clients, peers and bosses.”); Pavel Krapivin, The Deadly Cost of Employee Burnout, Forbes, October 10, 2018 (“Another common cause of burnout is excessive perfectionism. … While it can undoubtedly lead to a higher performance they can also lead to burnout. It’s a trap the researchers refer to as ‘perfectionistic concerns’, and typically sees perfectionism accompanied by high levels of self-criticism.”).

[64] Bob Condor, Purpose in Life = Happiness, Chicago Tribune, December 6, 2009; Dhruv Khullar, M.D., Finding Purpose for a Good Life. But Also a Healthy One, New York Times, January 1, 2018. Also see, Also see, Marcel Schwantes, Warren Buffett Says Your Greatest Measure of Success at the End of your Life Comes Down to 1 Word, Inc., September 13, 2018.

[65] Michelle McQuigge, Lawyers more likely to experience mental health problems the more successful they are: study, Globe and Mail (The Canadian Press), October 22, 2017.

[66] Susan Smith Blakely, What Millennial Lawyers Want: A Bridge From the Past to the Future of Law Practice, Corporate Counsel, October 25, 2018; Susan Smith Blakely, What Millennial Lawyers Want: A Bridge From the Past to the Future of Law Practice, Wolters Kluwer / Aspen Publications, 2018. Also see, Stephan Mabey, A Round Table with Millennial Lawyers – A Different Perspective, LinkedIn, July 22, 2017; Dan Packel, ABA Sounds New Alarm on Substance Abuse, Firms Pledge Action, The American Lawyer, September 10, 2018.

[68] Brandon (Mad Fientist.com), I retired at 34, and here are the 7 best pieces of advice I can give you about money, Business Insider, September 28, 2016.

[69] Dan Cable, The Most Powerful Lesson My Cancer Taught Me About Life and Work, Harvard Business Review, October 8, 2018. Also see, Dan Cable, Alive at Work: The Neuroscience of Helping Your People Love What They Do, Harvard Business Review Press, 2018.

[77] Zameena Mejia, Harvard Researchers say this mental shift will help you live a longer, healthier life, CNBC.com, November 21, 2017. Also see, Carol Tuttle, Not as Successful as You Want to be? 6 Roadblocks in Your Way, Entrepreneur, September 28, 2018 (“In 2017, Harvard researchers concluded that a higher sense of purpose in life “correlates to a reduced risks of disability, stroke, heart disease, sleep issues and other health problems.”).

[82] Sarah Ward and Laura King, Work and the good life: How work contributes to meaning in life, Research in Organizational Behaviour, Vol. 37, 2017; Iza Kavedzija, The Japenese concept of ikigai: why purpose might be a better goal than happiness, The Conversation, December 14, 2017; Jeffrey Davis, How to Seek Purpose with Less Anxiety, Psychology Today, December 19, 2017; Steve Errey, 4 Ways to Find Purpose in Any Job, Forbes, April 1, 2014 (also published in The Muse.com); Nick Seneca Jankel, Finding Your Life Purpose: 10 Deep Questions to Help You Create a Wildly Fulfilling and Meaningful Life, Conscious Lifestyle Magazine, 2015.

[83] Sarah Ward and Laura King, Work and the good life: How work contributes to meaning in life, Research in Organizational Behaviour, Vol. 37, 2017.

[85]Two Most Important Days in Your Life: The Day You Were Born and the Day You Discover Why, Quote Investigator.com, June 22, 2016; Matt Seybold, The Apocryphal Twain: “The Two Most Important Days of Your Life …”, Mark Twain Studies.com, December 6, 2016.

[86] Scott, Time is a Finite Resource – Live a Purposeful Life, Making Momentum.net, April 19, 2018.

[87] Naomi Titleman Colla, The importance of purpose in this new world of work, Globe and Mail, February 12, 2018.

[88] Dhruv Khullar, M.D., Finding Purpose for a Good Life. But Also a Healthy One, New York Times, January 1, 2018.

[89] Thomas Oppong, Your Life Will be Incredibly Better If You Pursue Meaning Instead of Happiness, Thrive Global, January 16, 2018; Emily Esfahani Smith, The Power of Meaning: finding fulfillment in a world obsessed with happiness, Broadway Books, 2017; Tom Rath, Are You Fully Charged? The 3 keys to energizing your work and life, Silicon Guild, 2015.

[95] Jack Kelly, How To Elevate Yourself When Your Job Search And Life Are Dragging You Down, Forbes, May 17, 2018.

[96] John Coleman, To Find Meaning in Your Work, Change How You Think About It, Harvard Business Review, December 29, 2017.

[97] “Call to the Bar” definition: The official moment that a lawyer is sworn or entered into a law society or state bar or court and thereafter licensed to practice law in that jurisdiction. The call to the bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where lawyers must be qualified to be allowed to present in court on behalf of another party. A licensed lawyer is said to be “called to the bar” or to have received a “call to the bar”. Common law jurisdictions include Australia, England and Wales, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, Hong Kong, India, the United States, among others.

[98] Mark Cohen, The New Delivery Paradigm and Tools of the Legal Trade, Forbes, June 19, 2017.

[99] See generally, Eric Sigurdson, The Evolving Legal Service Delivery Model: A 2018 Survival Guide for BigLaw and Traditional Law Firms – building a new business model, Sigurdson Post, January 14, 2018; Eric Sigurdson, Legal Profession on the Precipice: Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Legal Technology, Sigurdson Post, July 31, 2017; Eric Sigurdson, Alternative Business Structures, Competition, and Legal Services Delivery: The Case for ABSs v. the Legal Profession’s Monopoly in North America, Sigurdson Post, November 7, 2017.

[100] John Coleman, To Find Meaning in Your Work, Change How You Think About It, Harvard Business Review, December 29, 2017; John Coleman, You Don’t Find Your Purpose – You Build It, Harvard Business Review, October 20, 2017.

[110] Thomas Oppong, Your Life Will be Incredibly Better If You Pursue Meaning Instead of Happiness, Thrive Global, January 16, 2018.

[111] Payal Sheth, This silent meditation technique can help you succeed at work, World Economic Forum, July 24, 2017; Vipassana at the World Economic Forum, VRIdhamma.org, June 2000; Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz, Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time, Crown Business, 2005.

[112] Kevin Loria, Science says happier people have these 9 things in common, Tech Insider, July 25, 2016; Kevin Loria, Science says happier people have these 9 things in common, The Independent, July 16, 2017; Kevin Lira and Florence Fu, 9 things happier people have in common, Business Insider, August 4, 2016.

[114] Hal Hersfield, Cassie Mogilner, and Uri Barnea, People Who Choose Time over Money are Happier, Social Psychological and Personality Science, Vol. 7, Issue 7, 2016; Kevin Loria, Happier people make one key decision about how they spend their time, Business Insider, June 22, 2016.

[115] Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton, High income improves evaluation of life but not emotional well-being, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 107 (38), September 2010; Ethan Wolff-Mann, What the New Nobel Prize Winner Has to Say About Money and Happiness, Time.com, October 13, 2015; Kevin Loria, Happier people make one key decision about how they spend their time, Business Insider, June 22, 2016 (“Research does show that money is associated with greater happiness up to an income of about $75,000, but even after controlling for income, it turns out that people who want time more than they want money are happier.”).

[116]Hedonic Treadmill, Investopedia.com; The Hedonic Treadmill – Are We Forever Chasing Rainbows?, Positive Psychology Program, September 5, 2016; Izabela Misiuk, Happiness – what’s all the fuss about?, Thrive in Shanghai, October 28, 2017; Heidi Grant Halvorson Ph.D., How To Keep Happiness From Fading, Psychology Today, August 15, 2012. Note: “Hedonic treadmill” or “hedonic adaptation” principle means generally that as a highly adaptable species we adapt to both ‘the good’ and ‘the bad’, such that after an initial ‘high’ caused by getting what we want (or we thought would make us happier), we revert back to the initial emotional level of happiness (i.e. feelings associated with external pleasures quickly wear off and we are back where we began).

[118] S. Lyubomirsky, L. Sousa, and R Dickerhoof, The costs and benefits of writing, talking, and thinking about life’s triumphs and defeats, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 90(4), 2006.

[127] Susan Smith Blakely, What Millennial Lawyers Want: A Bridge From the Past to the Future of Law Practice, Corporate Counsel, October 25, 2018; Susan Smith Blakely, What Millennial Lawyers Want: A Bridge From the Past to the Future of Law Practice, Wolters Kluwer / Aspen Publications, 2018.

[128] Stephan Mabey, A Round Table with Millennial Lawyers – A Different Perspective, LinkedIn, July 22, 2017. Also see, Susan Smith Blakely, What Millennial Lawyers Want: A Bridge From the Past to the Future of Law Practice, Corporate Counsel, October 25, 2018; Susan Smith Blakely, What Millennial Lawyers Want: A Bridge From the Past to the Future of Law Practice, Wolters Kluwer / Aspen Publications, 2018.

[129] Marcel Schwantes, Warren Buffett Says Your Greatest Measure of Success at the End of your Life Comes Down to 1 Word, Inc., September 13, 2018.

[130]Time is Ticking: Never Trade Finite for infinite, MotiveInMotion.com, November 30, 2015. Also see, Marcel Schwantes, Warren Buffett Says Your Greatest Measure of Success at the End of your Life Comes Down to 1 Word, Inc., September 13, 2018.

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